Egg-tester.



F. W. SCHROEDER.

EGG TESTER. APPLlCATION FILED uov.1s. 1914.

1,161,793.- PatentedNov. 23,1915.

Mines-fies,- In z/entor:

fitorng IA PLANOGRAPH Cu WIWHXMIITON u c FRANK W. sciinonnnn, OFIBIEMIDJI, M N ESOTA.

EGGJIESTER.

Application filed November 16, 1914. Serial Noa872p373.

To all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, FRANK 4V. Sorrnonnnn,

a citizen of the UnitedxSt-ates, .residing at Bemidji, in the county of Beltramiand State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful-Improvement in EggTesters, of which the following isa specification;

This invention relates to improvementsin egg testers, of that character in which the eggs are tested'without having to remove them from the trays, in which they are usually held when packed in delivering trays and shipping cases or crates. It is desirable in vending eggs to'test them as they are;

being sold to the customer, and provethat they are good and to remove any defect ve ones. r i

trays can be removed bodily one at atime, while loaded with eggs and placed in my improved tester, whether the trays are of the usual one or two dozen size. This saves a great deal of time and produces the most advantageousresults.

In addition to this mode of operation,

my invention provides means" whereby' each tray when inserted in my improved tester, will automatically turn on-the'light which is used for testing purposes, and when removed, automatically shut off the light,thus

economizing' to the greatest extent in the 1 use of electric current, which is employed for illuminatingpurposes, I

In additionto these features, my invention provides greater simplicity and less eX- pensive construction, and greater ness in use than in prior devices. 1

In the accompanying drawing formin part of this specification, Figure l is a front elevation of my invention, partly broken to expose part of the innerconstruction'; Fig. 2 is an end elevation on a reduced scale, and

taken on the l ne Fig. 3 is across section XX of Fig. 1. I 1

' In the drawing tical-partition'3, thus providing two'chamber compartments 4 and 5, the upper end of the casing being left open. -The'compartment 5 issmaller than the compartment 4, Y

effective- A indicates the body; of I a casing, which is closed on four sides and formed with a floor 2 and a transverse ver-'- The front" wall 6 is formed with an opening 7, entering the com part'menti, and with an-openingS entering- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 23, 191 5.

the compartment 5, said openings being of r suitable size ,andshapeto assistin admitting the trays into the. compartments :while in horizontal position. p i

The inwardly facing surfaces of the lon-, git-udinal sides of each compartment have secured thereto, suitable longitudinal supports 9, which rest with their upper surfaces substantially level with the lower edges of;

the openings 7 andS, so as to produce suitor filler compartmentscarrying the eggs; Placed in the lower portion of eachco partment are electriolamps such as 10, there being a socketjsuch as 11 secured to the floor 2 in each compartment forholding the lamp. therein. These'lamps in the" two My invention provide's means whereby'the able means for slidablysupporting the trays compartments are, connected in. multiple 3 with an 'electric'circuit, suitable conductors such as 12 leading through the rosette l3 on the side of the structure, being provided for electrically illuminating the lamps; 7 One side "of the circuit'ofeach lamp has inserted therein a' suitable switch B, said switches being located near the'endsof each compartment in the path of the trays, which are inserted in each compartment,so as to the trays loaded with eggs are placedinthe piece 16, to which theends of the circuit in cluding the lamp are adapted to beattac heda Normally the flexible "terminal 16 remains out Of'COIltZlCt with the terminal 15, but whenithe'tray is placed in oneofthe compartm'ents its'inner end'is adapted tostrike" against a button oriheadpiece 17 carried on the free end of the'fiexible terminal. .and

close the flexible terminal against the iimmovable iterminal 15thusfc0mpleting the circuit and illuminating the lampplacedbeigloo low thetray of; eggs.

The compartment 4 being compartment 5, one compartment is adapted to'test'trays-containing more eggs than the larger than the,

other. The distance the switch B is placed incompartment 15 from-"the 'front portion is not as great as in compartment-,4, and].

theinner portion of compartment 5 is closed by afhorizontally disp'osedplate 18, the

switch "for compartments being mounted near the forward edge of said plate,-so that the fieXible terminal 16 will close against the immovable terminal '15 when the tray or filler of eggs to be tested is slid fully into compartment 5 through' the opening 8. lhe dimensions and si'zes'of the compart- .ments may be varied to suit the dimensions.

or sizes of the trays and fillers of eggs to be tested, and any number of compartments maybe employed within the spirit of myin vention, it being obvious that. foreach com.-.

partment a complete equipment such asv The sizes and. shapes otthe openings}. andS- can also be .varied to admit any size or.de-

above described is applied thereto.

' tested. A cleat L9isplaced back of'each switch to which the base .ltiis secured to support. the switch-in a: substantiaLmanner.

The upper portion. of. the structure a is provided": with .a .hood C, which .is construct.-

ed .with apartition .20, which coincides with the partition 3 in the-.body, thus dividing.

.thehood into. compartments, which. cor.- respondand registerwith the compartments in the body. .Eachtcompartment in the hoodisprovided with'a sight-opening 21 sure roundedby ashielcl'22, seas to shield the. eyesso fxtheobseryer. The hoodrislsecured upon the-body, such as by hinges. 23;and locked in closed position by thehook2l.

When it is .desiredato adjust. the.lamps or any of the parts of. the apparatus, the hood can be swung back. outofthezway, and ac- I cess had to the compartments in. the body. The .lower front. portion of the hood is also provided with openings 25 and 26,. which correspond. respectively with the openings 7 and 8: and serveto-complete .passageserr.

tering the compartments to admit trays thereinto In use the trays. filled with eggs 3-;can be lifted one at a time, without touching theJeggs, from the eggcrateon other, container' and placed in-the'tester. trayisplacedin the tester the lamp the compartment-in which thetray is placedis illuminated automatically until the. tray! is withdrawn.

, At the inner. endsof.theisideosupports t).

in each compartment a shock absorber. in .the

form-of a bumper Q'Z madeof rubber or 7 other suitable material; secured: against which the inner end'of the tray strikes when the switch has been closed to prevent eggs being broken, should a tray be inserted .too

vigorously or carelessly.

After testing, the. trays canbe. delivered .to the customeror placed back. thelcontainer or crate. Thisloperation can be.per-

, tormedvery quickly, it being obvious that a-large numberof eggs are tested simultane, ously,.which is much speedier thanin-deviceswhere asingle egg at-a. timeis tested,

or where itis necessary to remove the. eggs As each.

from the trays or fillers, in order to test them. The handling of the eggs as employed'withmy improved apparatus also avoids the danger of breaking eggs in testmg.

' The apparatus is economical in the use of electric current, the lights only being illuminatedwhile-the trays. remain fully inserted in the tester. Any source of electric current can be employed, such as derived from an ordinary lighting circuit. or from I batteries. The apparatus is also adapted for use. with trays of any suitable construction, theterm' tray where usedthroughout. this specification and.inthe.claimsrifollowing, being in? tended'to cover any constructionof tray or filler section such as. iscommonly employed for delivering or. shippingeggs;

Having. described my. invention, what ll claim as. new and desire to protect: by Let-. tersPatent is 1-. An egg tester, comprising-,- incombinar. tion with an egg tray, ,two cooperating elements, one a. body. and. .the: other. ,a. hood. coupledtogether and. forming. ao chamber, 90 one of said parts being passaged to assist. in admitting saiditray, into said: chamber, and said; hood having a, sight; opening through which theeggsheld by said tray can ;be viewed, illuminating meanspQsitioned below said tray insaid chamber and a switch connectedwithsaid illuminating meansto cause its illumination when. closed, said switch being supported, in position [so that theinner end of said tray will strike a-gainst and closetheswitch. when the. .tray; is fully.

insertedinsaidachamber. fl

2. Anegg tester, comprising, in combinw.

tionwithfan egg tray, two-cooperatingelee ments, 'onea body'and the other a, h0od coupledtogether. and forming a chamber,

one of said parts being-passaged to assist in; admitting said tray, into said chamber, and said hood having a, sight openlng through which the eggs heldby; saicl=tray 0 can be viewed, illuminating means posi tioned below. saidtray insaid chambena switch connected with said illuminating meanstocauseits illumination whenclosed,

vmen ts,-;,oI.1e a body and the-other hood hinged together and, forming a, chamber, 25 said parts. being passagedto assist inadmit; ting said trayeinto said chamber, and said hood having a. sight openilngthrough which the eggs-.heldby, said;tray-;c an be viewed, an electric lamp positioned belowsaid tray 3 1 3g said chamber, a switch connected with said electric lamps to cause their illumination when closed, said switch being supported in position so that the inner end of said tray will strike against and close the switch when thetray is fully inserted in said chamber, supports at the sides of said chamber for said tray as it is inserted therein and shock absorbers at the inner ends of said. supports against which the inner end of the tray is adapted to strike.

4. An egg tester, comprising, in combination, egg trays, two cooperating elements, one a body and the other a hood coupled together and divided toform a plurality of chamber compartments, one of said parts be- 7 ing passaged to assist in admitting one of said trays into each of said compartments,

connected with each illuminating means in position, so that the inner end of the tray strikes against and closes a switch automatically and causes the illuminating means to be illuminated, whereby the illuminating means is operated in either compartment when a. tray is placed therein.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' FRANK W. SCHROEDER. l/Vitnesses:

C. F. SOHROEDER,

R. H. SCHUMAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, -Washing't0n, D. C. 

